Core of Infinite Forest, Mercury
Sol System
Team JNPR returned to the fight, rejuvenated both physically, emotionally and mentally with the arrival of the legendary Warlock Osiris.
The Vex Mind, Cassandra was unprepared for the onslaught of attacks that the four huntsmen brought upon it. It fired Void blasts at them, but Pyrrha and Jaune used their shields together to block the shots. Nora jumped over them and unleashed several grenades from Magnhild, damaging its shell. It flew backwards, but Ren maneuvered behind her and opened fire on Storm Flower, destroying one of its 'tentacle-arms', the appendage falling to the ground damaged beyond repair. It looked down at its destroyed limb with one of its human optics, then flung another of its limbs at him. He dodged and using the bladed portion of his weapon, sliced through said limb. It screamed with a combination of a human scream and a mechanical groan before Nora converted her weapon in hammer form and sent it flying. Team JNPR giving no restraints or reprieve in the Vex Mind.
Meanwhile, the gigantic phoenix made up of Osiris's Reflections screeched at the Infinite Mind. Panoptes used its limbs to swing at it, but retracted the limb feeling the intense heat. It decided to use its optic to fire a laser at it. The laser impacted the phoenix making it screech in pain, but the wound quickly healed when more Reflections were created to replace the ones destroyed. If that wasn't enough, it had three Guardians also firing at it from below. It kept summoning more Vex to assist, but they were quickly being destroyed.
Saint-14 put his fist through another Vex Minotaur, neglecting the Vex Hobgoblin sneaking behind him. Luckily, Osiris used his Scout Rifle to take him out. "Missed one." He said to the Titan. "I knew he was behind me, I let you take him out." "Oh, you let me, did you?" Osiris bantered back as he sent a Solar Grenade at a Vex Cyclops that manifested to take them both out. It blew up, sending unstable Void energy cascading into other Vex units. "I have missed this banter between us!" Saint-14 said taking out another Minotaur. The two continued to fight oncoming Vex. Saint-14 punching and shooting with his shotgun Perfect Paradox, Osiris using his Dawnblade Super to fly through the air on flaming wings, swinging a sword made of Solar flames at any vex that came too close. Soon, Osiris was fighting side-by-side with Lux Syphoid.
"Why Lux Syphoid, this is a surprise!" He said, shooting at another Minotaur. "Oh? How is this first meeting between us, not counting your Reflections, a surprise?" Lux said sending a Void Grenade at some Vex Fanatics; headless and sometimes limbless Goblins that served as the suicidal infantry of the Vex Collectives. The death of one triggered a chain reaction that killed all of them. "Well, the last time we met was hundreds of years ago, and you were just a young member of my Cult." That brief mention of meeting her long time ago, long before she became a Guardian made her pause long enough for a Hobgoblin to snipe her shoulder. Annoyed at the interruption, she brought up her Machina Dei 4 Pulse Rifle and destroyed it. "You knew me before I became a Guardian?" She asked, still firing. "Yes." He said before continuing while sending a grenade at a swarm of Vex Harpies. "I may not approve of the Cult in my name, and I detest that boot-licker Brother Vance, remind me to tell you what he did when I accidentally sneezed near him once, but some members I take notice in." He sent another grenade at another Minotaur. "You were a weapon obsessed new recruit that theorized that one can create weapons from Vex parts while negating their tendency to induce headaches and madness to anyone that isn't a Guardian who comes into contact or uses Vex technology." He glanced at her Pulse Rifle. "And judging from your weapon, you've succeeded."
While Lux's body was on autopilot firing into more Vex, her mind was racing!
Her past life, was a weapon obsessed recruit! Just like her teammate Summer Rose and her daughter, Ruby Rose were weapon obsessed dolts!? If Summer finds out, Lux will never hear the end of this!
Venting her frustrations and revelation on a bunch of Fanatics, she sent another Void Grenade into them making them blow up. Soon, there were no other Vex units around save for the Infinite Mind. Currently, it was holding its own against the flaming phoenix construct.
"Any idea how we take it down?" Lux asked reloading her pulse rifle.
"We need to aim at its core. Unfortunately, it's heavily armored." Osiris said, his hands moving in sync with the phoenix above which was using its claws to grip the Infinite Mind's arms and use its flaming beak to peck out its optics.
"So, throw me!" Saint-14 said, brushing off bits of a Vex Goblin belonging to the Descendant Collective off his hands. The two looked at him in confusion and a bit of curiosity.
Up above, Panoptes swiped at the Phoenix again with one of its arms. It avoided the arm and went to fly back at the Mind again. This time, Panoptes was ready for it! Just as the Phoenix flew right at it, Panoptes ducked backwards with its lower portion pointed upwards. When the Phoenix's body was right above, it sent the lower part of its body upwards to impale it. The second it happened; the body of the Phoenix broke apart into hundreds of smaller versions of itself. Panoptes flipped itself back upwards to gaze at the newest development. Its optics selected one of the flying birds and observed it.
Instead of a phoenix, they were now…pigeons?
Silver pigeons that now swarmed around the Vex Mind pecking at its body. It swiped its arms out, destroying several. Which only resulted in even more smaller nuisances.
"Panoptes!"
It turned and saw a sight!
The legendary Saint-14 carried in the claws of several pigeons heading straight at the Vex Mind at extreme speed!
"Eat my fist!"
At that very exact moment, the silver pigeons released him at the same time he activated his Arc Super Thundercrash! This Super allowed him to fly short distances like a comet into foes. Said foe being the central body of Panoptes. Unmovable Vex Mind met the head and fist of a Legendary Titan had the expected results. His fist and head met the body of Panoptes and ripped a hole right through its body and out the other side, causing Panoptes to groan in mechanical pain!
"Eat my fist?" Lux repeated Saint-14's words while giving Osiris cover as the latter directed his newly made digital pigeons.
"I think those were great words!" Saint-14 said on the comms riding the back of one of the constructs. "I liked them!" Nora chimed in. She was hammering away at Cassandra, sending said Vex Mind. Already its body was fluctuating between Vex and human parts, it wasn't long now! "We figure a few good hits before we destroy ours, what of you three?" She asked.
"Osiris?" Lux turned to him. Osiris studied the Infinite Mind sluggishly getting back up. Already its body was melting in places and the gigantic hole in its chest showed a small bit of its core out in the open. But it was still standing! "We need one good blast directed to its core. I'm thinking two Arc Supers directly should overload its systems." He quickly did some calculations before turning back to Lux and keying the comms for all to hear. "But once it's destroyed, we need to leave here and fast!"
"Fast why?" Saint-14 asked from above, having his ride dodge a shot from a Cyclops that Panoptes summoned around it. It wasn't just one, but seven Cyclops that it summoned. These Vex were circling it on floating platforms, targeting any of the constructs Osiris created and dealing damage to the Infinite Mind.
"Panoptes is the only Vex Mind with the capability of managing the core of the Infinite Forest, its death will trigger a collapse of the core destroying everyone and everything in it. Said destruction will then cascade into the rest of the Infinite Forest."
Silence was met on the other side of the comms from both Saint-14, Lux, Team JNPR and most importantly, Sagira.
"Osiris. You really do this?" She asked though their renewed bond. Both of them have spent centuries in the Forest studying the Vex, sabotaging their Simulations, giving them false data. Studying the Infinite Forest has been his obsession, some would say his curse. But for him to really want this?
"Yes Sagira. I've studied what I can from the Vex here, and though the loss is great, it's worth it." He said gazing up at Saint-14 up above. "Lux Syphoid, would you do me the honor of joining Saint-14 up above and delivering the final blow?"
Lux looked at him, placed her weapon on her back, Arc Light sparking between her fingers. "It will be my honor."
Team JNPR heard that the destruction of Panoptes would result in the destruction of the core and the rest of the Infinite Forest. This revelation pushed them to finish the fight.
Cassandra overheard the announcement and tried to plead with her opponents. The destruction of the Infinite Forest would be catastrophic for all of the Vex Collectives alone! Everything that they've collected, gone! "No! Don't destroy Panoptes. You have no idea what's coming for us all!" She shouted as Jaune sliced another of its limbs off. "We'll serve your Remnant!" Another limb fell as Pyrrha bent it in places it couldn't be bent. "Earth!" Another fell Jaune and Pyrrha's combined blades. "All of Humanity! All Faunus kind! You Guardians. All of you! All the knowledge the Vex have accumulated since the dawn of the universe at your command!" Ren fired Storm Flower and the second to last optic exploded, leaving only a single human eye. It curled up into itself, fully afraid and confused. It didn't like either of these feelings. "Why won't you take it!?"
It looked at them, Team JNPR giving her a look she could only describe as pity. Jaune was the one to answer. "It's because it's not worth it. You say this now, but what happens in a year? Ten? A hundred? After what you pulled throughout history, to every species. What you all did to Nessus, Mercury, and who knows how many planets. You expect us to trust you? And if we did trust you to your word, if you could have given us all this information, you would have done it long ago." He placed his hand on Nora's shoulder, his Aura glowing and going straight into the bubbly redhead of team JNPR. The last thing Cassandra ever saw was flames bathing Nora Valkyrie and the hammer that fell upon Cassandra Oracle Mind.
SLAM!
Team JNPR starred down at the remains of the Oracle Mind. Ren looking to Jaune and then to the dissipating flames on Nora. "Awakened your semblance?" He asked, putting two and two together. "Yeah. From Sagira's scans, it amplifies my Aura and other's Aura's as well. Rapidly healing, amplifying others Semblances and whatnot." "And apparently, the Light as well." Sagira said manifesting by Nora's shoulder. "That…I kind of took a shot with." Jaune admitted rubbing the back of his head. Sagira was flabbergasted that he took a shot in the dark using his semblance to amplify the temporary Light within Nora. Pyrrha was so happy for her leader while Ren nodded in approval. The team looked up and saw that saint-14 and Lux Syphoid were about to make a final blow. Jaune turned to Sagira. "Which way to exit this place?"
Up above, Lux Syphoid and Saint-14 were flying on their constructed pigeons and phoenix respectively. Osiris had converted half of the constructs back to being phoenixes leaving some of the pigeons as they were. He said it was fitting that the pigeon and the phoenix fight together this way. While he was doing that, he summoned a few Reflections of himself to cover him from more attacking Vex. These ones being the Precursor variety.
"The Pigeon! They called you The Pigeon!?" Lux shouted as she fired her Pulse Rifle at a Cyclops destroying it. "Actually, Lord of Pigeons!" Saint-14 shouted as he jumped off his constructed pigeon, punched a Cyclops and jumped back onto the construct without breaking a step. Show off, she thought to herself. "It's because every time I feed the birds; pigeons would swarm around me. Thus, the title, Pigeon Lord!" He said laughing before sending a grenade at another Cyclops. Said Vex units were now focused entirely on the two Guardians, ignoring the destructive pecks, talons and even bird poop that the constructs were giving them!
Their mounts swooped down and around with the Cyclops focused on them. So focused they didn't notice the trap the Guardians were setting up till it was too late. One fired at Saint, the other at Lux. The Guardians dived resulted in the blasts impacting the other destroying both. The last one was sliced in half by Osiris himself. Said Warlock doing quick mental math used his Dawn Blade Super, creating a sword of Solar light and with precise timing threw the blade which sliced the Cyclops in half, giving Saint-14 and Lux the opening they need!
Panoptes swiped at the numerous phoenixes and pigeons swarming it just as Lux and Saint-14 dived towards the hole in its chest. It saw them coming and brought its arms to bare. Osiris counted on it and with a flick of his wrists directed the constructed birds to merge together into two gigantic birds: one a silver pigeon, the other a golden phoenix. Both birds used their talons to grab its arms and pull them back away from its body, giving the two Guardians above a clear shot. Both of them jumped off of their mounts and activated their Supers together. Thundercrash for Saint-14 and Stormcaller for Lux Syphoid.
"For Osiris!"
"Light's out!"
Saint-14 shot right through Panoptes destroying one bit of the mind's core while Lux sent millions of volts into said core, overloading it. Panoptes shook and spasmed, trying and failing to get out of the grip of the two constructed birds talons. Its optics glowed bright red, before fading entirely. It twitched once before explosions sounded within its chassis and the rest of it blew apart.
Panoptes the Infinite Mind was dead!
Lux Syphoid and Saint-14 drifted down to Osiris who took several breaths. Creating that many constructs and directing them took a bit out of him. "Was that it? We win?" Lux asked.
Osiris got up. "Yes indeed." They then felt the ground shake beneath them They looked around them and saw the landscape shift, turning black and then fading away to nothingness. "Now we run!"
00000
Team JNPR didn't watch to see the end of Panoptes, but they could feel its destruction as numerous pathways fell around them. As they ran, Nora looked up and saw a sight from days earlier. It was herself, looking at herself. As Nora ran, she could hear her other self say, "I thought I saw…never mind." Nora recalled saying those words seeing herself her team lux Syphoid and another behind her to a tower. She looked behind her and indeed Lux Syphoid and Saint-14 also behind her!
I saw the future! She thought to herself as she ran, running past Simulations of Cabal falling to their demise, deleting before her eyes. They ran into a tower, then another. According to Sagira, they had to go through the Towers within the Infinite Forest in a particular sequence to get to the actual entrance on the surface of mercury. They already went through the Future, Past, Future, Present, then Past again. One final run through the Present, then into the main area of the Infinite Forest and they were home free!
Unfortunately, the destruction of the Infinite Forest was going a lot quicker than anticipated.
Already, the landscape was fading fast, becoming unstable. She didn't think they could make it any quicker. Already their Aura's were in the red just from a combination of fighting Vex, Cassandra and running.
That was when she felt herself lifted into the talons of a constructed bird!
She looked up and saw the golden phoenix that fought against Panoptes accompanied by a silver…was that a pigeon?
Yep, it's a pigeon! She thought to herself.
She and her team were in the phoenix's talons, Jaune screaming at the height and speed, holding on to Pyrrha who was giddy. The pigeon was carrying Saint-14 and Lux Syphoid.
"Sorry for my lateness. Thought this would be quicker than running." Osiris said from the top of the phoenix.
The two constructs flew through the towers in the correct order, exiting into the main area of the Infinite Forest. The tower that represented the Present crumbled followed quickly by the Past and future. The many pathways fell down below into the void that was the Infinite Forest. The constructs flew to the doorway and deposited their cargo. Team JNPR ran through first, with Pyrrha holding onto jaune after throwing up upon landing followed by Ren and nora. Lux was the next one through the door. Saint-14 was about to do the same before stopping. He turned and saw Osiris looking out to the fading Infinite Forest. Centuries of discoveries by the Warlock about to be gone forever.
"Osiris?" He hesitantly asked, placing a hand on the Warlock's shoulder.
Osiris turned to his friend, sadness and acceptance in his eyes. "This was my past, it's time to make a future of our own." He said facing the doorway. He looked to Saint-14 and held the Titan's hand. Together, Titan and warlock stepped through the doorway, never looking back.
As the rest of the Infinite Forest faded away, the constructs of the phoenix and the pigeon sat side by side as the world faded around them. The phoenix, its head on the pigeons and vice versa. The world turned black with the only illumination being those two before they faded.
A/N: Happy 4th of July everyone! This concludes the Osiris portion of this story. There will be an epilogue after the conclusion of the Warmind portion.
See ya next time!